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Savannah Red Rice with Smoked Sausage

Savannah Red Rice with Smoked Sausage prepared dish

This lowcountry-style red rice bakes long-grain rice in a savory tomato broth with smoked sausage, bacon, onion, bell pepper, and celery. The finished dish is fluffy, deeply seasoned, and ideal as a hearty dinner or a generous side for a southern meal.

This recipe is american style, dinner, scaled for 6 servings, with 20 min prep and 55 min cook.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 55 min · Total: 75 min · Serves: 6

Quick cooking notes

  • Core ingredients include worcestershire sauce, black pepper, kosher salt, green onions.
  • Follow all 14 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
  • Ingredient quantities listed below are for 6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 0.75 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 whole green onions (thinly sliced)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
  • 2 ribs celery (finely diced)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (warmed)
  • 1.5 cups long-grain white rice (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 medium green bell pepper (finely diced)
  • 4 slices bacon (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 12 oz smoked sausage (cut into 1/2-inch rounds)
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the ingredients.
  2. Rinse 1.5 cups long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cool running water for 1-2 minutes, stirring with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear; drain well so the rice does not make the finished dish gummy.
  3. Keep the 12 oz sliced smoked sausage and 4 slices chopped bacon separate from the chopped vegetables on the cutting board, then wash your hands, knife, and work surface with hot soapy water after handling the meat.
  4. Set a 12-inch oven-safe Dutch oven or deep oven-safe skillet over medium heat, add the chopped bacon, and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the bacon is browned and the fat has rendered.
  5. Add the 12 oz sliced smoked sausage to the same pan over medium-high heat and cook for 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally, until the sausage is browned on the edges and steaming hot; if using sausage that is not fully cooked, continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a slice reads 165°F (74°C).
  6. Add the diced yellow onion, diced green bell pepper, and diced celery to the pan and cook over medium heat for 6-7 minutes, scraping up browned bits, until the vegetables are softened and the onion looks translucent.
  7. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper, and cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the garlic smells fragrant but does not brown.
  8. Add the rinsed rice to the pan and stir constantly over medium heat for 2 minutes, until the grains are evenly coated with the tomato mixture and look lightly glossy.
  9. Pour in the 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups warmed low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 0.75 tsp kosher salt, then add the bay leaf and stir once or twice to distribute the rice evenly across the bottom of the pan.
  10. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a steady simmer, about 3-4 minutes, watching for bubbles across the surface and steam rising from the pan.
  11. Cover the Dutch oven tightly with its lid or with a double layer of foil, transfer it to the 350°F (175°C) oven, and bake for 30 minutes without lifting the lid so the rice can steam evenly.
  12. Remove the covered pan from the oven and let it stand on a heatproof surface for 10 minutes; the residual steam should finish tenderizing the rice and the liquid should be fully absorbed.
  13. Uncover the pan, discard the bay leaf, and fluff the rice gently with a fork; if any grains at the center are still firm, cover the pan again and return it to the oven for 5-8 minutes until the rice is tender.
  14. Fold in the sliced green onions and chopped parsley with a fork, then serve the red rice hot from the pan with the sausage evenly distributed throughout.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 410
  • Protein: 19 g
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Carbohydrates: 47 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Sugar: 6 g
  • Sodium: 920 mg

Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.

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